The Trump administration announced sanctions against the International Criminal Court on Friday, shortly after Norway's Nobel Committee announced the Nobel Peace Prize for former ICC judge Navi Pillay, who is of Indian origin.

The sanctions could disrupt the tribunal's operations. However, the court said it would continue its work and would not be diverted from its course by the American action.

The United States maintains that the ICC pursues discriminatory war-crimes allegations against American and Israeli people. The court has issued international arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin over alleged war crimes.

What the US sanctions involve

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington would block financial transactions involving the court, strip away its resources and end its ability to operate against the United States.

In a video message, Rubio said the United States and its people were not subject to the ICC's jurisdiction and did not recognise the tribunal's importance. He also said the sanctions would include action to seize the court's assets and resources.

American companies have been given 6 months to end their work and all business dealings with the ICC. The measure is intended to restrict the court's access to American commercial and financial support.

Rubio also said Republican and Democratic leaders shared the same view of the court. According to him, both parties regard the ICC as hostile to the United States and support action against it.

Court says investigations will continue

Nazh at Shamim Khan, the ICC's deputy prosecutor, condemned the decision after the sanctions were announced. She said the measure would not stop the court's work.

Khan described the sanctions as an attempt to undermine international law. She said the ICC would continue investigations and prosecutions in every situation and would not allow its independent functioning to be defeated.

The opposing statements underline the dispute between Washington and the tribunal. The United States rejects the ICC's authority over Americans, while the court says it will continue acting independently.

Link to the Nobel announcement

The US announcement came shortly after the Norwegian Nobel Committee named Navi Pillay for the Nobel Peace Prize. Pillay is a former ICC judge and was identified in the report as being of Indian origin.

Before the decision, President Trump had repeatedly sought the Nobel Peace Prize during the previous 2 years. He had claimed credit for helping end eight wars and had pressed for the award in his own case.

Those efforts did not influence the Nobel Committee. The committee instead announced the prize for Pillay on Friday.

Shortly before the Nobel announcement, Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif again formally recommended Trump for the peace prize on behalf of Pakistan. The recommendation was later mocked in Pakistan, according to the report.

Conclusion

The United States has imposed sanctions against the ICC after the Nobel Committee announced Navi Pillay as the peace prize laureate. Washington says the court threatens American interests, while the ICC says sanctions will not stop its investigations or prosecutions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What action did the United States announce?

The Trump administration announced sanctions against the International Criminal Court.

Q. When were the sanctions announced?

They were announced on Friday, shortly after the Nobel Peace Prize announcement for Navi Pillay.

Q. What did Marco Rubio say the sanctions would do?

Rubio said the United States would block financial transactions involving the ICC, restrict its resources and limit its ability to operate against America.

Q. How long do American companies have to end dealings with the ICC?

American companies have 6 months to end their work and business dealings with the court.

Q. Will the ICC stop its work?

The court said it would continue investigations and prosecutions and would not be diverted by the sanctions.